PURPOSE: This study was performed to examine the treatment of erectile dysfunction by use of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles-labeled human mesenchymal stem cells (SPION-MSCs) transplanted into the cavernous nerve injured cavernosa of rats as monitored by molecular magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eight-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into three groups of 10 rats each: group 1, sham operation; group 2, cavernous nerve injury; group 3, SPION-MSC treatment after cavernous nerve injury. Immediately after the cavernous nerve injury in group 3, SPION-MSCs were injected into the cavernous nerve injured cavernosa. Serial T2-weighted MRI was done immediately after injection and at 2 and 4 weeks. Erectile response was assessed by cavernous nerve stimulation at 2 and 4 weeks. RESULTS: Prussian blue staining of SPION-MSCs revealed abundant uptake of SPION in the cytoplasm. After injection of 1x10(6) SPION-MSCs into the cavernosa of rats, T2-weighted MRI showed a clear hypointense signal induced by the injection. The presence of SPION in the corpora cavernosa was confirmed with Prussian blue staining. At 2 and 4 weeks, rats with cavernous nerve injury had significantly lower erectile function than did rats without cavernous nerve injury (p<0.05). The group transplanted with SPION-MSCs showed higher erectile function than did the group without SPION-MSCs (p<0.05). The presence of SPION-MSCs for up to 4 weeks was confirmed by MRI imaging and Prussian blue staining in the corpus cavernosa. CONCLUSIONS: Transplanted SPION-MSCs existed for up to 4 weeks in the cavernous nerve injured cavernosa of rats. Erectile dysfunction recovered and could be monitored by MRI.
Animals ; Contrast Media/pharmacology ; Dextrans/*pharmacology ; Disease Models, Animal ; Drug Delivery Systems/methods ; *Erectile Dysfunction/diagnosis/etiology/therapy ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging/methods ; *Magnetite Nanoparticles ; Male ; Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation/*methods ; Monitoring, Physiologic/methods ; Penis/*innervation ; *Peripheral Nerve Injuries/complications/diagnosis/physiopathology/therapy ; Rats ; Suspensions ; Treatment Outcome

BACKGROUNDDiarrhea is a common clinical feature of ulcerative colitis resulting from unbalanced intestinal fluid and salt absorption and secretion. The Cl(-)/HCO3(-) exchanger SLC26A3 is strongly expressed in the mid-distal colon and plays an essential role in colonic Cl(-) absorption and HCO3(-) secretion. Slc26a3 expression is up-regulated by lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) in vitro. Our study was designed to investigate the effects of LPA on SLC26A3 expression and the diarrheal phenotype in a mouse colitis model.

METHODSColitis was induced in C57BL/6 mice by adding 4% of dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) to the drinking water. The mice were assigned to LPA treatment DSS group, phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) treatment DSS group, DSS only group and untreated mice with a completely randomized design. Diarrhea severity was evaluated by measuring mice weight, disease activity index (DAI), stool water content and macroscopic evaluation of colonic damage. The effect of LPA treatment on Slc26a3 mRNA level and protein expression in the different groups of mice was investigated by quantitative PCR and Western blotting.

RESULTSAll mice treated with DSS lost weight, but the onset and severity of weight loss was attenuated in the LPA treatment DSS group. The increases in stool water content and the macroscopic inflammation score in LPA treatment DSS group were significantly lower compared to DSS control group or PBS treatment DSS group ((18.89±8.67)% vs. (28.97±6.95)% or (29.48±6.71)%, P = 0.049, P = 0.041, respectively and 2.67±0.81 vs. 4.5±0.83 or 4.5±0.54, P = 0.020, P = 0.006, respectively), as well as the increase in DAI (P = 0.004, P = 0.008, respectively). LPA enema resulted in higher Slc26a3 mRNA and protein expression levels compared to PBS-treated and untreated DSS colitis mice.

CONCLUSIONLPA increases Slc26a3 expression in the inflamed intestine and reduces diarrhea severity in DSS-induced colitis, suggesting LPA might be a therapeutic strategy in the treatment of colitis associated diarrhea.

Animals ; Antiporters ; genetics ; metabolism ; Colitis ; chemically induced ; drug therapy ; Colon ; immunology ; metabolism ; Dextran Sulfate ; pharmacology ; Dextrans ; pharmacology ; Diarrhea ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Female ; Immunoblotting ; Intestines ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Lysophospholipids ; therapeutic use ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL

Fourteen compounds were isolated from Dalbergia odoriferae and purified by repeated column chromatography on silica and sephadex LH-20 gel and structurally identified by spectral analysis. These compounds were identified as 4, 9-dimethoxy-3-hydroxypterocarpan (1), medicarpin (2), 2', 4', 5-trihydroxy-7-methoxyisoflavone (3), 2', 3', 7-trihydroxy-4'-methoxyisoflavan (4), formononetin (5), 3, 8-dihydroxy-9-methoxypterocarpan (6), koparin (7), 3-hydroxy-9-methoxypterocarp-6a-ene (8), 2'-hydroxyformononetin (9), stevenin (10), 2', 7-dihydroxy-4', 5'-dimethoxyisoflavone (11), lyoniresinol (12), 2, 4-dihydroxy-5-methoxy-benzophenone (13) and neokhriol A (14). Compounds 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 12 and 14 were isolated from this plant for the first time. Antibacterial activity assay showed that compound 4 had inhibitory effect on Ralstonia solanacearum.
Anisoles ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Benzophenones ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Chromatography ; methods ; Dalbergia ; chemistry ; Dextrans ; Gels ; Isoflavones ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Microbial Sensitivity Tests ; Naphthalenes ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Plant Extracts ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Pterocarpans ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Ralstonia solanacearum ; drug effects ; growth & development ; Silica Gel

To evaluate the effect of chlorogenic acid (CGA), a polyphenol abundant in coffee, on retinal vascular leakage in the rat model of diabetic retinopathy, Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four groups: controls, streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats, and diabetic rats treated with 10 and 20 mg/kg chlorogenic acid intraperitoneally daily for 14 days, respectively. Blood-retinal barrier (BRB) breakdown was evaluated using FITC-dextran. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) distribution and expression level was evaluated with immunohistochemistry and Western blot analysis. Expression of tight junction proteins, occludin and claudin-5, and zonula occludens protein, ZO-1 was also evaluated with immunohistochemistry and Western blot analysis. BRB breakdown and increased vascular leakage was found in diabetic rats, with increased VEGF expression and down-regulation of occludin, claudin-5, and ZO-1. CGA treatment effectively preserved the expression of occludin, and decreased VEGF levels, leading to less BRB breakdown and less vascular leakage. CGA may have a preventive role in BRB breakdown in diabetic retinopathy by preserving tight junction protein levels and low VEGF levels.
Animals ; Blood-Retinal Barrier/*drug effects ; Chlorogenic Acid/metabolism/*pharmacology ; Claudin-5/metabolism ; Dextrans/chemistry ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental/complications/metabolism/*pathology ; Diabetic Retinopathy/etiology/prevention & control ; Down-Regulation ; Fluorescein-5-isothiocyanate/chemistry ; Male ; Occludin/metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Retina/*metabolism ; Tight Junction Proteins/metabolism ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A/metabolism ; Zonula Occludens-1 Protein/metabolism

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate transplanted porcine pancreatic islets in the kidney capsules of diabetic mice using a clinically approved superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) and a 1.5T MR scanner. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Various numbers of porcine pancreatic islets labeled with Resovist, a carboxydextran-coated SPIO, were transplanted into the kidney capsules of normal mice and imaged with a 3D FIESTA sequence using a 1.5T clinical MR scanner. Labeled (n = 3) and unlabeled (n = 2) islets were transplanted into the kidney capsules of streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice. Blood glucose levels and MR signal intensities were monitored for 30 days post-transplantation. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in viability or insulin secretion between labeled and unlabeled islets. A strong correlation (r2 > 0.94) was evident between the number of transplanted islets and T2 relaxation times quantified by MRI. Transplantation with labeled or unlabeled islets helped restore normal sustained glucose levels in diabetic mice, and nephrectomies induced the recurrence of diabetes. The MR signal intensity of labeled pancreatic islets decreased by 80% over 30 days. CONCLUSION: The transplantation of SPIO-labeled porcine islets into the kidney capsule of diabetic mice allows to restore normal glucose levels, and these islets can be visualized and quantified using a 1.5T clinical MR scanner.
Animals ; Contrast Media/pharmacology ; Dextrans/pharmacology ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental/*therapy ; Glucose Tolerance Test ; *Islets of Langerhans Transplantation ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging/*methods ; Magnetite Nanoparticles ; Mice ; Microscopy, Electron ; Statistics, Nonparametric ; Swine

OBJECTIVETo investigate the alkaloids from Senecio scandens.

METHODCompounds were isolated with silica gel and Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography and their structures were determined by spectral analysis and chemical evidence. The hepatic cytotoxicity of isolated compounds was tested by MTT method in vitro.

RESULTSix alkaloids were obtained and identified as adonifoline (1), 7-angeloylturneforcidine (2), hordenine (3), 1, 3, 6, 6-tetramethyl-5, 6, 7, 8-tetrahydro-isoquinolin-8-one (4), 4-(pyrrolidin-2-one) -phenyl acetic acid (5), (4-pyrrolidinophenyl) acetic acid (6).

CONCLUSIONCompound 6 is a new natural product, compounds 3, 4 were obtained from the genus Senecio for the first time, compounds 2, 5 were obtained from this plant for the first time. Compound 1 showed significant growth inhibitory effect against hepatocyte at 100 micromol x L(-1).

Acetic Acid ; chemistry ; Alkaloids ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Dextrans ; chemistry ; Hepatocytes ; Lactones ; isolation & purification ; metabolism ; pharmacology ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred ICR ; Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids ; isolation & purification ; metabolism ; pharmacology ; Senecio ; chemistry ; Silica Gel ; Tyramine ; analogs & derivatives ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo study the chemical constituents of Polygala telephioides.

METHODThe compounds were isolated and purified on macroporous resin, silica gel, Sephadex LH-20, Chromatorex ODS column chromatograph and the structures were determined based on the spectral and chemical evidences.

RESULTFour compounds were obtained and characterized as telephiose G, telephiose D, isomangiferin, quescetin 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside, respectively.

CONCLUSIONCompounds 2-4 were obtained from this plant for the first time and the compound 2 (telephiose G) was a new compound.

1-Deoxynojirimycin ; isolation & purification ; Dextrans ; Glucosides ; isolation & purification ; Molecular Structure ; Plant Extracts ; pharmacology ; Polygala ; chemistry ; Silica Gel ; Silicon Dioxide ; isolation & purification ; Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization ; Xanthones ; isolation & purification

OBJECTIVETo study the chemical constituents of the bee-collected rape pollen.

METHODThe compounds were isolated by column chromatography on silica gel; Sephadex LH-20 and C18. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectral analysis.

RESULTNine compounds were isolated from the bee-collected rape pollen and the structures of them were kaemferol-3-O-beta-D-glucosyl-(2-->1)-beta-D-glucoside (1), kaemferol-3,4'-di-O-beta-D-glucoside (2), quercetin-3-O-beta-D-glucosyl-(2-->1)-beta-D-glucoside (3), nicotinic acid (4), nicotinamide (5), trans-p-coumaric acid-4-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (6), kaemferol (7), beta-sitosterol (8) and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (9).

CONCLUSIONCompounds 1-6 were isolated from the bee-collected rape pollen for the first time.

Animals ; Bees ; physiology ; Brassica napus ; chemistry ; physiology ; Coumaric Acids ; chemistry ; Dextrans ; chemistry ; Glucosides ; chemistry ; Molecular Structure ; Plant Extracts ; pharmacology ; Pollen ; chemistry ; physiology ; Propionates ; Sitosterols ; chemistry

This study established superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO)-labeled nerve growth factor-beta (NGF-beta) gene-modified spinal cord-derived neural stem cells (NSCs). The E14 rat embryonic spinal cord-derived NSCs were isolated and cultured. The cells of the third passage were transfected with plasmid pcDNA3-hNGFbeta by using FuGENE HD transfection reagent. The expression of NGF-beta was measured by immunocytochemistry and Western blotting. The positive clones were selected, allowed to proliferate and then labeled with SPIO, which was mediated by FuGENE HD transfection reagent. Prussian blue staining and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used to identify the SPIO particles in the cells. The distinctive markers for stem cells (nestin), neuron (beta-III-tubulin), oligodendrocyte (CNPase) and astrocyte (GFAP) were employed to evaluate the differentiation ability of the labeled cells. The immunocytochemistry and western blotting showed that NGF-beta was expressed in spinal cord-derived NSCs. Prussian blue staining indicated that numerous blue-stained particles appeared in the cytoplasma of the labeled cells. TEM showed that SPIO particles were found in vacuolar structures of different sizes and the cytoplasma. The immunocytochemistry demonstrated that the labeled cells were nestin-positive. After differentiation, the cells expressed beta-III-tubulin, CNPase and GFAP. It was concluded that the SPIO-labeled NGF-beta gene-modified spinal cord-derived NSC were successfully established, which are multipotent and capable of self-renewal.
Cells, Cultured ; Dextrans/*diagnostic use ; Embryo, Mammalian ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Magnetics ; Magnetite Nanoparticles/*diagnostic use ; Nerve Growth Factor/*genetics ; Nerve Growth Factor/pharmacology ; Neural Stem Cells/*cytology ; Spinal Cord/*cytology ; Transfection

OBJECTIVETo prepare anti-human IgG-dextran-adriamycin conjugate for immunotargeting of S180 sarcoma and assess its effects on the tumor weight and survival time of the tumor-bearing mice.

METHODSAnti-human IgG-dextran- adriamycin was synthesized by conjugating dextran and adriamycin with anti-human IgG. The immunoactivity of anti-human IgG-dextran-adriamycin was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and the cytotoxicity of anti-human IgG, adriamycin, and the IgG-dextran-adriamycin conjugate against the tumor cells in vitro was evaluated using MTT assay. In mice bearing S180 sarcoma, the agents were tested for their effects against tumor cell growth and the survival time of mice.

RESULTSThe molar ratio of anti-mouse IgG, dextran, and adriamycin was 1:2.5:38 in the conjugate. The conjugates were shown to retain the immunoactivity of anti-human IgG, and possessed cytotoxicity to S180 cells in vitro. Administration of the conjugate and intratumor injection of human IgG resulted in a tumor suppression rate of 17.72%in mice bearing S180 sarcoma, but did not prolong the survival time of the mice.

CONCLUSIONThe anti-human IgG-dextran-adriamycin conjugate shows targeted antitumor effect against S180 sarcoma in mice.

Animals ; Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Antibodies, Monoclonal ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; therapeutic use ; Cell Survival ; drug effects ; Dextrans ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Doxorubicin ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Female ; Immunoglobulin G ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Immunotoxins ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Mice ; Sarcoma 180 ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Survival Analysis ; Tumor Burden ; drug effects